Last Thursday as the news started to leak out, people were heartbroken to learn that a six year old Alpha female wolf known as 832F or more commonly known as 06 from Yellowstone National Park had been killed by hunters. She had been traveling outside of the park's perimeters most likely looking for food when someone in a cold and calculating move took her life away. Her mate, known as 754 was also killed last month by hunters.

06 was part of the popular and high-visible Lamar Canyon pack. She was so popular with wildlife watchers, that they referred to her as a ‘rock star.’ " She is the most famous wolf in the world,” said Jimmy Jones, a wildlife photographer who lives in Los Angeles and whose portrait of 832F appears in the current issue of the magazine American Scientist.

She was also highly valued by park biologists who tracked the pack's migratory patterns, eating habits, population spread and threats to their survival. 06 was fitted with a $4,000 collar with GPS tracking technology, which is being returned, said Daniel Stahler, a project director for Yellowstone’s wolf program. Based on data from the wolf’s collar, researchers knew that her pack rarely ventured outside the park, and then only for brief periods.

Although 11 wolves from Yellowstone have been killed this fall during the hunting season, her death was particularly disheartening to all those who knew her or of her. This year’s hunting season in the northern Rocky mountains has been especially controversial because of the high numbers of popular wolves and wolves fitted with research collars that have been killed just outside Yellowstone in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

These wolf hunts, which are sanctioned by recent federal and state rules applying to the northern Rockies, had been fiercely debated long before the Yellowstone wolves deaths. Wildlife advocates say that the wolf park populations (only 88 wolves) are not large enough to withstand state-sanctioned hunts. Some are saying that hunters are even targeting collared wolves as a way to get back at wolf restoration efforts by the federal government or for something as shallow as bragging rights.

The Yellowstone wolves attract tourist money, around $32 millon dollars a year. Yellowstone’s scenic Lamar Valley has been one of the best places to view wolves in the northern Rockies, and it attracts many visitors every year. It is hard to know just exactly what the impact of these wolf deaths will have on the park.

Yellowstone's scientists have acknowledged that the recent shootings will have an impact on the park's wolf research. But Dave Hallac, chief of the park's Center for Resources, has stated that "the number killed so far does not threaten the park's overall population."

Montana wildlife commissioner Shane Colton has said that officials will be discussing Yellowstone National Park hunting buffer zones at a commission meeting to be held today, Monday, Dec. 10th. Buffer zones around the park have long been requested by wolf advocates but in the past have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe now someone will listen.

The real tragedy though is that there are now broken wolf packs in Yellowstone - wolves who have lost their mates, pups without parents, packs without leaders. Their mournful howls will be heard echoing inside of the park - who will be listening to their cries of great loss?

Please take a minute to sign 2 petitions below that call for the creation of much needed buffer zones around Yellowstone National Park to help protect the park's iconic wolves.

Holy crap , they call themselves hunters but shoot wild life that are collared , is that not the most stunning thing you could possibly argue for lack of respect and courage , cold blooded killers stalking animals that give off radio signals , WOW , aren't you just so manly that you have to kill something that not only should be less intelligent then you but clearly this is not the case here , too bad the wolves aren't armed but then it wouldn't be a fair fight , we would be reading articles about wolves killing packs of stewpid people , sigh

KILLING A WOLF IS HORRIBLE AND TO KILL A COLLARED WOLF IS INEXCUSABLE. I WOULD HOPE THEY END UP IN JAIL . WOLVES ARE TO BE REVEERED NOT MURDERED. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE URGE TO KILL AND KILL AND KILL. GO PLAY A VIDEO GAME AND LEAVE THE WILDLIFE ALONE. IT IS GOD'S GIFT TO US ALL AND YOU ARE TAKING IT AWAY FROM US . YOU ARE SELFISH AND I HATE YOU.

WOLVES ARE A GIFT FROM GOD NOT JUST SOMETHING TO BE KILLED BECAUSE SOMEONE JUST WANTS TO KILL. THIS HAS TO STOP. THIS WOLF WAS PROBABLY LOOKING FOR FOOD AND NOT HURTING ANYONE. YET SOMEONE KILLED HER AND HAD ALREADY KILLED HER MATE. YOU DO NOT EAT WOLVES. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBLE EXCUSE TO KILL ONE. I HATE THE FACT THAT HUNTING IS ALLOWED ANYWAY. IF THE WILDLIFE NEEDS TO BE THINED OUT LET THE RIGHT PEOPLE DO IT. NO ONE THESE DAYS NEED FOOD THAT BAD THAT THEY HAVE TO HUNT. AND DEFINITELY NOT A WOLF. I HOPE WHOEVER SHOT THESE TWO WOLVES ENDS UP IN JAIL FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YOU ARE MURDERS

With this type of senseless act there will be no animals left to enjoy. Leave the wolves along they have every right to be here to learn to live with the wolves and other animals it is possible. Teri Marty

I am sick to the stomach having to read these stories of Natures beautiful animals being 'Murdered' by ignorant, stupid 'Humans', when will it end? With a bit of luck man will destroy his own species first and then the real animals will have their world back. Sorry but I'm ashamed of being a part of the 'human race', though I know that there are many wonderful people who are trying to help save the world's endangered animals but let's be honest here, they are fighting a loosing battle when we hear of tragedies such as this one. I don't care what people may think but I am crying now for the loss of this majestic wonder of Nature.... :'(

these people like to kill what is to stop them from killing a human...they are truely serial killer potential and are dangerous to all...no excuse to kill a collard animal....karma will come to their family and they will wonder why

FUCK YOU MORONS!!! I LIVE IN CODY WYOMING, ABOUT 40 MILES OUTSIDE YELLOWSTONE PARK, I SEE WHAT THESE WORTHLESS BASTARDS DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR...THEY SAY THERES 88 WOLVES...THATS BULLSHIT!!! THE ELK/DEER POPULATIONS ARE ON A SERIOUS DECLINE BECAUSE OF THESE DAMN THINGS. THEY SAY WE KILL FOR SPORT? HAVE YOU SEEN A PACK OF THESE FUCKERS KILL? NO U HAVENT, THEY KILL ELK BY THE HERDS AND LEAVE THEM LAY AND WALK AWAY, ABOUT DAMN TIME THE GOVERNMENT HAD THE BALLS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM, NEXT LETS HOPE THEY LET US KILL YOGI!!!

Rancher's have right's too are you kidding me? Read the story idiot they killed the wolf in a Park. Enough is Enough, these people are ruthless killers. If they wanna bring up their lame excuses of reintroduced wolves, well guess what your stupid cattle weren't here until 1611 so the wolves were here before your precious cattle. The first mass killing was done in the 1800's and now they are doing it all over again. It's horrible and we've had enough of these stupid rancher & hunter's lies!

The government is turning a blind eye to these beautiful animals as well as the wild horses that they are allowing to be slaughtered and sent to glue factories and shipped over seas to places like Paris to the food industries ! God will get you! This is a sin against his creatures!

read the story? how bout u read it...Last Thursday as the news started to leak out, people were heartbroken to learn that a six year old Alpha female wolf known as 832F or more commonly known as 06 from Yellowstone National Park had been killed by hunters. SHE HAD BEEN TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THE PARK's PERIMETER's most likely looking for food when someone in a cold and calculating move took her life away...STFU u liberal bunny squeezing fucks...if u want the god damn wolves in a park lets put them in Central Park, or every other park in America and u too can see how much of a savage these bastards are!!!!

This is a state issue. The wolves were forced onto states that did not want them. Ranchers and outfitters have been put out of business by livestock depredation and the decimation of elk herds. Likewise, the Canadian Gray Wolves that were introduced were not an indigenous species. The Canadian Grays killed the remaining Rocky Mountain wolves that remained in the Lamar Valley. This is another example of non-resident liberals forcing their ill-informed and Disneyesque ideals on a local rural constituency that must now live with and deal with their ignorance. Meanwhile, mountain lion, grizzly, and wolf populations have outgrown the habitat. The worst problem with the National Park system is that they have no wildlife population control, and they don't acknowledge that Native Americans were part of nature's balance prior to European encroachment. And, that Native Americans utilized wholesale killing methods, buffalo jumps, sheep traps, etc., to ensure survival. The Wolf Program is pure foolishness and an example of how people corrupt the most pristine worlds with human vanity issued through government control.

It was ulikely these wolves were going to survive, unfortunatly wolves don't understand boundaries, and when you have a few wolves and a whole bunch of rednecks with guns the outcome is bound to be tragic. Also as unfortunate is the fact that not enough people who love wolves spoke up against taking them off the endangered list and there are to many politicians who are hunters or freinds with hunters and narrow minded ranchers who want to see wolves eradicated as was done in the past. Mr Brune, for your information at one time wolves were pletiful from Alaska to Mexico and they were mostly grey wolves with red wolves in Mexico and some southern states. And the deer and elk heards were doing just fine. You need to read some science instead of listening to stupid rednecks who want to kill everything they can get in their crosshairs. I know hunters who want to kill all the wolves and cougars so there are more deer and elk to kill, and there lies the true problem, people are bound to have a shity outlook when the have their head stuck where the sun don't shine. Are you one of those H Brune? Steve Harding a wolf lover.

As a farmer... i do everything i can to keep my livestock safe... i absolutely refuse to shoot any predator... those animals were here long before me and my animals were.. i have dogs that ** patrol* their boundries and do everything they can to keep their animals safe..i havent lost a animal yet... and if i did.. yes id be heartbroken as i know them all.. but..i would look into what went wrong.. if i could improve things.. at no time would i place the blame on the predator... if humans didnt diminish their natural food tastes they wouldnt come looking.. yes u have a few rouge animals who are dangerous to man and livestock.. but those are few and far between and in most cases hurt.. old.. or sick...if a animal needs to be culled.. let those in the know do it.. let them cull the old and the sick.. stop wiping out species after species because man thinks they are top dog...you'd think man would have learnt by now...

American ranchers will never be happy until they anilate every predator so they can sit in their nice warm ranch houses instead of doing what real ranchers before them did......Ride the line, Shepard their flocks. Kill all the cougars, wolves and anything else that makes them do what the old time ranchers did when they managed their herds, not with helicopters, not with ski-doos but have a ranch that is the size a family can manage not a multi million dollar machine that will kill anything that gets in it's way of making that one more dollar.

Ok say you own a store and kids come in and take food from your store with out paying. How long will a store keeper let them keep taking before you do something??? Wolves taking farmers livestock is no different, steeling from the farmer should he do nothing??? Call the police to lock them up won't work!

I think these loser hunters...dick-heads...need to take notice of what they do. To kill the spirit of the wolf is killing all of our spirits. I am ashamed of these humans. Humans are the worst thing to happen to this world.

Hunting these magnificent creatures should be outlawed. Honestly, is this the Wild, Wild West? We have to respect nature & wildlife ~ it will not always be here if we do not. Hunters are Not Sportsmen, to be participating in a Sport ~ BOTH sides need to know that they are in the 'Game'. They should just call themselves what they are ~ Predators. The truly pathetic fact is that people keep on putting weapons into the hands of children, desensitizing them & they grow up to be cold, uncaring adults. NO Excuse is acceptable ~ it's just criminal. Pathetic, selfish, individuals with no heart or conscience. ~ Disgusted with Human Filth that Hunt.

Jeff the only savage bastards are ignorant fools like you. Wolves make elk populations strong by killing the weak and on top of this they help control coyote populations and help with the overall wellbeing of the environment. You don't take out the top predators in the food chain without consequences. Wolves kill to eat and to help train their young ones in whichcase whilst the wolves may not eat the entire carcass other scavengers like ravens, coyotes and bears will. If yo want to be a real men go and hunt without gns and see how tough you all are. I believe your cowardice will shine through.

This is a state issue. Before European encroachment, Native Americans made wolf traps. Predators do not kill just the weak, lame, or old. Predators kill for sport whether it's a coyote, grizzly bear, wolf, mountain lion, or man. This wolf debacle is another example or liberal politicians taking advantage of folks who live in a romanticized twilight detached from the pain they cause in reality. The wolf issue is a state issue. NOW, here's a question for the liberals: California was once habitat for grizzly bears. The grizzly is on the California state flag. Why hasn't the grizzly bear been reintroduced to California?

Karma. It always comes back.....the pack will hunt the killer down and organize his ribcage differently - sooner than later.........that said though the shooter is an example of the moronic state most humans exist in. Ignorant. Fat. Completely out of tune with nature. And with no conscince.......humans! Us! We! The pathetic species who put $4.000 gps tracking devices on the poor animals resigned to their fate by bureaucrats and weekend outdoor enthusiasts.......wish i had been raised by wolves.

You have to look at the big picture people, these hunters didn't commit any crimes.. the real problem is the state sanctioned hunting parties.. if these wolves live up in the mountains, they aren't terrorizing anybody.. why do the states allow them to be hunted? I also blame yellowstone,, they also know that the wolves are leaving the park, they should try to deter them from doing that, of try and extend their boundaries to accommodate the species living there.

This is what stupid men call fun and sport killing the beautifulll wild life .Funny they want to controll the wild life because theres to many but dont they realize there is way to many humans and not enough wild life .Beautifull Wolf just hope who ever killed her is punished .These men dont have balls they think they are powerfull becauuse they have guns .I dont think they would be so tough with their dam rifles

And men think they are the masters of the universe! If it moves, kill it. They can't leave anything alone. Another poster referred to men like this as man with tiny balls. Well, they also have tiny little pea brains. I can see them now thumping their chests! Morons. They are only good for one thing and most aren't even good at that!

Jeffers, get some help, you and your elk, hahaha. We already have savage killers in Central Park, they are humans like you. So, in your brain this makes sense = having an environment to exist in, is a political party or team issue and you are on the team that wants no environment. So when your team wins this big final game the only thing left to shoot and kill will be each others kids, hmm, that sounds fine with me. Darwin I hear there is no game to shoot at in Mexico, is this true? What an excellent place to live then. Perfect harmony with nothing, ahhh! paradise. Don't shoot wolves because "reason", tells us they keep the elk strong. Now this makes really good sense, I mean, what pleasure would could you possibly get walking around out in the environment (sorry to use that liberal term Jeff), to shoot some sickly elk, when you could be shooting at something happy and healthy? Bang! there's one! bang! bang! hahaha. What's senseless about that. What would be the point of even leaving the house to walk in the woods if you can't kill something? Hell, shoot anything that moves, bang bang. Man, that's living the dream.

I am a Hunter and Live in Australia. I was saddened to hear of the Wolves in Yellowstone being killed. I thought people cared a bit more than they do. We would not dream of killing wolves with collars on, as anyone knows they are special animals collars or not. Do you people wont wolve to become extinct??? Martin of Australia SHAME.

Hunters are hunters because they need to make up for their lack of masculinity. They have never managed to accomplish anything truly meaningful in their own pathetic lives. Killing defenseless and innocent animals does not present any sort of real challenge to these brain-dead troglodytes, so it is not surprising that they resort to such douchbaggery. May their bullets ricochet and strike them between the eyes. Every last one of them.

I have signed both petitions but hold no illusions about the effect of the first. I used to live out there and know its recipients. When wolf hunting was back on the cards, in 2008, "Butch" Otter; gov. of Idaho, said he would buy the first wolf hunting license to be issued. I attended public consultations organised by the Idaho Fish & Wildlife agency about where wolf hunting should be authorized and between what dates ; they were a sham, the agency had already decided that Idaho's wolves were to be decimated. The mentality is just as bloodthirsty in Montana and Wyoming. Those people did not want the reintroduction of wolves to the Yellowstone National Park in the first place.Erik, now in France

I think the death of this wolf was a senseless one. The outside barriers should be extended to protect the species. When I was young enough to start hunting. i was told if you are not going to eat it. THEN do not shoot it. Sadly, the world is full of trophy hunters.

Damn Straight! Goddamned tree-hugging hippie assholes don't know shit! Ever notice how these environmental activist/ PETA animal-rights morons ALL live in the city?? It's idiots like these, that get predators protected and fuck-up the balance of population control, as well as the natural fear of humans, which is being lost. The predators overpopulate, unchecked and kill-off all the prey animals and that REALLY screws things up. Then these same people bitch, when their cats & dogs start disappearing or a kid gets attacked. Stupid fuckers need to smoke their joints, play their guitars and shut the fuck up!

spoken like a true american redneck with a small brain and a big gun you dumbass. There are scientists and biologists who actually have a brain bigger than a pea that have shown the the whole Yellowstone environment has improved, including elk heards since wolves were reintroduced, as is the case in other areas. Some pets are being killed by predators mainly because mankind is spreading like mold into their domain.

It is so sad that this wolf was killed. Unfortunately, going out of the park is almost instant death for them. Yes, there needs to be a buffer zone for no hunting. The people who kill these wolves will always try to kill them no matter what and as one of them told me a while back, there are wolves killed that no one ever knows about because the hunters WANT to get rid of them. The more they can kill, the happier they are. So, it is death to the wolves no matter what as far as they are concerned. There is no reasoning with these people because they only hear what they want to. There would definately be no wolves left alive if they can help it. Wildlife always lived together and survived in their own way before man ever came along. They have their ways of nature as it was intended. But man came along and had to try to regulate and control every thing as he sees fit and for his own selfish reasons. It is happening to our wild mustangs and the wolves and it is such a sad situation. And you wolf haters can cuss me all you want, I really do not care. I have heard your ignorant words before.

Amen, You'd have thought man would have learned by now, sadly this is not the case. As a Rancher just outside Banff National Park I protect my cattle without having to resort to killing predators. As Skyes says, Dogs are great for keeping them away and my cattle safe.

As for other who site damage caused by Wolfs & other predators....Have you seen how much damage am Elk or Deer Population can do without natural predators? I have, including after allowed culls and hunts. The ecological damage is huge, forests have died do to it.

Those who just shoot Wolves, Cougars, Lynx ET all should are just envious of what a real hunter is.

I think it has all been said above. It makes me very sad that men (and women) with no conscience kill wolves so easily. God put these creatures to keep the circle going. We (wolf kill of the 50s) took it totally out of balance and then became over run with deer. cars we hitting them constantly and doing trmendous damange. Our run ways in Orlando were over run with them so huntrs had to go out and handle it because they were afraid of fatalities regarding planes landing and trying to take off. Wolves used to do that for us. We are an ignorant society. Killing animals such as the wolf is cruel and ungodly and should not be tolerated.

Hunting is NOT a sport, the golden rule of a sport is that both palyers have a fair chance of winning. Hunting is for SAD F***ing men & women, with to much money, but ZERO happiness. THere is the reason why such people are unhappy. They are idiots, deserve nothing in life. Karma WILL catch up top them & guess what; it not gonna be any fun / or sport.

I hope you receive every possible discomfort that GOD will be handing out to you. Maybe not soon, but it is Inevitable!!!